


honey-sweet seed, pomegranate kiss

by The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gay



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Alternate Universe - Hades and Persephone Mythology Fusion, Hannibal is Hades, Literary References & Allusions, M/M, Modern Setting, Sort Of, Trans Will Graham, i took the hades and persephone myth and i changed it around a bit, matthew is hermes?, not sure where i'm going with this yet so i'll add more tags as i go along, religious speculation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 22:41:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16690300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gay/pseuds/The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gay
Summary: “...a chasm opened in the earth and out of it coal-black horses sprang, drawing a chariot and driven by one who had a look of dark splendor, majestic and beautiful and terrible. He caught her to him and held her close. The next moment she was being borne away from the radiance of earth in springtime to the world of the dead by the king who rules it.”- Edith HamiltonOr, a Hannigram Hades and Persephone au





	honey-sweet seed, pomegranate kiss

“Lost in Hell,-Persephone,  
Take her head upon your knee;  
Say to her, "My dear, my dear,  
It is not so dreadful here.” 

\- Edna St Vincent Millay

 

Will was out walking, trying to destress from the shift he had earlier that day. Winston and Buster were at his heels, well-trained enough to remain off leash, following close beside him on the paths through the woods just a few blocks from his apartment. He was a bit down the path when he found a clearing he hadn’t before, wide and open, the sun shone overhead, a small stream ran through the center. Will frowned as he stepped into the clearing, he could have sworn he’d walked this path a dozen times and he could swear he’d never come across this clearing before.

The dogs didn’t seem to mind, tails wagging happily as they ran to drink from the stream. Will walked into the clearing after them, it really was quite beautiful, warm green grass, and a series of wildflowers. One particular cluster of flowers drew his attention, several heads on each blossom, blood-red petals trimmed with white. As if on some compulsion, Will approached the flower, stooping, he tugged at it. The stem seemed to resist him for a moment, but when it snapped, it snapped cleanly.

And then the ground gave way beneath his feet, and he was falling, down, down into a deep pit. He landed on stone with bruising force, and for a moment all he saw around him was darkness. His eyes adjusted to the dark, and he blinked, finding himself in a wide sort of cavern. Beside him, was a trickle of water, falling from down the wall as if fed by the stream above, forming into the beginnings of an underground river. Will frowned at that, he wasn’t aware of any caves nearby.  He glanced up, trying to see the hole he’d fallen through, and felt his stomach drop at the sight. Above him was only stone, dark stalactites dripping water. A drop landed on his cheek, and Will raised his hand to wipe it away, the water had a red-tinge to it, from minerals in the soil, he assumed.

He shook himself, and climbed to his feet. He couldn’t just sit here when it was obvious to him there was no getting out the way he came in. No, he would follow the river, lots of streams started in caves, that was his best bet for getting out, Will was sure of it. 

He began his trek down the tunnel, over time he found the river growing faster and wider, until he saw an opening where the river seemed to drop off the edge of a cliff. Will raced forwards, hoping for a way out, and subsequently a way back to his dogs, but stopped when he reached the edge, his jaw following open in shock. The valley he looked out upon was certainly not part of the West Virginian landscape. It was night, where when Will was outside it had been day, moonlight pouring out over rolling hills and dark forests. Mist seemed to cover the whole realm in silver, and between the trees he could see strange, drifting lights in eerie, washed out colours.

Beyond the forest, Will saw looming towers, a great palace of obsidian, silhouetted against a deep, violet sky. Will shook his head. He was definitely dreaming. Picking his way down the cliffside was a surprisingly easy affair, easily accessible foot and handholds allowing Will an easy descent. He arrived at the bottom of the hill, and found the river once more, he had chosen to follow it before, he saw no reason to stop now.  The river quickly lead him into the forest, and Will followed it, trees looming above him, dark and reaching together, making a heavy archway over the path. Will followed each winding turn. The woods were quiet, disturbingly so, not a single animal to be heard. In fact all Will could hear was the beating of his heart, and the rushing of the water at his side.

He walked for a long time, starting to feel turned around in the mist, he was just examining a tree which looked remarkably like one he had seen ten minutes ago when the silence was broken by a voice from above, high and nasally, causing Will to nearly jump out of his skin. “Hey! Hey you!”

Will looked up, and found himself looking into a pair of luminous, green eyes. He thought for a moment of Alice, and of the smiling Cheshire cat. However it was not a cat’s face that leaned into view, but a man’s, young and angular, and smiling curiously at him. He dropped suddenly down, hanging from the branch in from of Will, his legs still hooked on the branch above him so he was suspended upside down. The man’s eyes narrowed for a moment, before his face split in a grin. 

“You’re a funny little thing. How did you get down here?” 

Will responded honestly, it seemed the best option. “I fell down some kind of hole… I’m very lost and I’d really like to wake up now so could you maybe point me to an exit?”

“Oh no blossom, no one leaves here without his permission.” The man dropped down from the tree, landing soundlessly on his feet in front of Will. A wisp of fog seemed to curl up his leg, reminiscent of a serpent. He was thinner than Will, and would have been taller if it weren’t for the way he held his head, low between his shoulders, skulking.

“Whose permission?”

He ignored the question, or perhaps he simply did not hear it, instead sweeping his gaze over Will with a pointed, devious smile. “I’m sure he’d love to have a look at you…”

“Who?” Will asked again, and the man seemed to hear the question this time. 

“The Lord of this realm.” 

“And can he get me out of here?” Will raised an eyebrow.

“If he wants to.” 

This conversation was getting irritating. “Can you take me to him?”

“Now Baby’s asking the right questions.” He grinned, the endearment made Will’s stomach turn. “Of course I can.” He reached out, laying a hand on Will’s collar, Will nearly flinched away from the touch, but there was a sudden sound like the flapping of wings, a feeling like falling in his stomach, and then he found himself standing in front of the castle gates.

It was much larger up close, and Will stared up at it, his jaw falling open at that sight before him. Black stone, partially built into the side of the cliff; it looked, rather than made of bricks, to be carved from one smooth piece of obsidian. The double doors were at least thirty feet in height, made from sturdy, dark wood, and there was a great, cast iron knocker in the shape of a stag's head. Will wondered who could live in such a place. 

“Close your mouth, blossom. You’ll catch flies.” The cat-eyed man smiled at him. “Now, come on, let’s go in.” He paused then, meeting Will’s eye. He looked almost nervous. “Before we do, I must ask that you mind your manners. He has no tolerance for rudeness, and we are already showing up without invitation.”

Will nodded, he was nervous, but reassured by his absolute certainty that this whole thing was a dream. In a moment he’d wake up in his own bed, so nothing that happened here really mattered. He kept that in mind as he followed the strange, impish man in through the imposing doorway. 

Magisterial was the word that crossed his mind as he walked into the entrance hall, a wide, open space, black floors marbled through with streaks of gold, and above him, towering ceilings and one great chandelier, the flickers of candlelight dancing off of a thousand red crystals cast am eerie glow about the room. 

“How do you find anyone in a place like this?” Will asked, more to himself than to the man at his shoulder. 

“He finds you.” The voice replied. “I imagine he already knows we’re here.” A pause. "He'll be along shortly." 

He heard footsteps then, clicking like hooves on the marble, and looked up the stairs. At the top of the double staircase was a man silhouetted, broad and tall, looking down at them. Will couldn’t make out his face but he swore his eyes glittered in the darkness of the hall. The man watched them for a moment before coming down the stairs, slowly, gracefully, his hand trailing lightly over the smooth marble of the railing. Each step clicked as the stone floor met with the hard soles of finely polished dress-shoes. As the warm light of the chandelier fell across the man’s face, Will came to make him out, sharply boned and handsome, silver hair pushed neatly back from a strong, lined forehead. His dress was surprisingly modern, if eccentric; a dark suit of burgundy velvet, tailored perfectly to his strong form.

The man reached the bottom of the stairs, and approached first the man who had brought Will here. The two exchanged a few words before the stranger stepped around his companion, approaching Will with a furrow in his brow. 

“You’re not dead.” He said, his voice was smooth and deep, only adding more power to his presence.

Will raised an eyebrow at that. “Evidently not.”

The man cocked his head to one side, this close his eyes appeared almost red. “How did you get here?”

“Well, Sire-” The cat-eyed man piped up, but the second man -the lord?- held out a hand to silence him.

“I didn’t ask you Matthew, I was speaking to my guest.” His gaze never left Will’s face as he spoke and the intensity of it was starting to make him nervous. 

Will explained the events which had lead him to this place, and still the man watched him, his lips twisting into something like a smile. 

“You should not be here. I cannot comprehend what twist of fate pulled you to this place.” His eyes fell to the flower in Will’s button hole -he’d stuffed it there earlier-, and his smile spread far enough to reach his eyes. “Tell me, what is your name?”

“Will.” He still couldn’t meet the man’s gaze, dream or not.

“Let me look at you, Will.” Before Will could reply, a strong hand caught his chin, tilting it this way and then the other. His eyes seemed almost lit from behind, so disturbingly inhuman in their redness. “Lovely thing, aren’t you?” He said, his teeth were almost pointed when he smiled. He released Will from his hold before stepping back. 

Will felt a shudder run through him, though he wasn’t sure it was entirely unpleasant. He really wished he’d brought his glasses with him when he’d decided to fall into another dimension, it would be nice to have some kind of barrier between them. 

“Matthew, leave us.” He was  _ still _ looking at Will, even as he spoke to the other man.

Matthew disappeared with a whoosh and no words.

“So can you take me home or not?” Will figured he’d ask, on the off chance this wasn’t a dream and he hadn’t totally lost his mind. 

“Of course.” The man stepped back, allowing Will the space to breathe. “However, you are my guest, I would ask you stay for the evening. Dine with me, and then I will return you.”

“Why?” Will knew that probably wasn’t the most polite question but he could not wrap his head around what was happening. 

“It’s rare I find such interesting company, or any company at all truly, most inhabitants of this realm aren’t much for conversation.” He smirked, as if at some private joke. 

Will really wasn’t sure there was a lot of choice in this, and he shrugged. It wasn’t as if this day could get any fucking weirder. “Yeah, okay.” A pause. “Who are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I go by many names.” He smiled again. “The one you may call me is Hannibal.”

“Alright, Hannibal. I’ll have dinner with you, but only if you promise to take me home afterwards.”

“You have my word.” He paused then. “But you cannot wear that to dinner.”

“I don’t have anything else.” Will said, rather stupidly. 

“No matter.” He grinned. “Look.”

Will did, and gasped when he found himself dressed in a black velvet suit and white shirt, the flower from before pinned neatly to his lapel, the suit was perfectly tailored, well fitting but not uncomfortable. He frowned then. “How the hell did-" dream, he reminded himself again, it _had_ to be a dream. "Nevermind.” He murmured, more to himself than to Hannibal. “Better?”

“Much.” Hannibal once again held Will under his appraising gaze. “Come, Will.” Hannibal smiled, gesturing for Will to follow him. Will did, and found himself lead into a massive dining room, with the same high ceilings as the previous. In this room was a long table, dark wood with elegant carvings, and beside it, a roaring fireplace. There were two place settings already, Will wasn’t surprised, roast beef and gravy, an array of seasoned vegetables as a side, a dark glass of wine sitting in front of either plate.

Hannibal pulled out a chair for him, and Will sat, flushing at the chivalry of the gesture. “Well, at least it’s a good dream.”

“Sweet William, this is no dream, I can assure you of that.” Hannibal moved to sit down across from him. “I am just as surprised by your presence as you are.”

“Because I’m alive?” Will raised an eyebrow, he cut a small piece from his meat, spearing it on his fork and raising it to his lips. The intensity of the flavour surprised him, more vivid than any dream he’d ever known. 

“Indeed.” Hannibal smiled pleasantly over the rim of his wine glass, a fine crystal, carved and elegant. “Do you like it?”

Will nodded in answer, sipping his wine before replying. “So what is this? The afterlife?”

“What a cunning boy you are.” Hannibal smiled wider now, showing pointed teeth. “You’re lucky it was Matthew who found you; he’s not particularly dangerous… there are far worse things lurking in the land of the dead.”

“Like you?”

“One could say that.” Hannibal held Will’s gaze as he took a bite of his food. 

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say the Christians didn’t get it right.”

Hannibal actually snorted at this. “Certainly not.”

“Did anyone?” He couldn’t help needing to know, feeling on the edge of his seat as he awaited the answer of one of mankind’s greatest questions.

“All myths have some truth to them, as well as some lie. Though I think in this case the Greeks were the closest.” He looked smug. 

“So you’re not the devil, you’re what? God of the dead?”

“Something like that.”

“I thought Hades had a wife.” Will pointed out, curious.

Hannibal laughed then, a warm sound that made something flutter in Will’s chest. “I am familiar with the story of Persephone.” He paused, swirling the glass beneath his nose, taking a long swallow. “But as I said, no one ever got it quite right. I am not now, nor have I ever been, married.” There was a warm glint in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth quirked in a knowing expression.

Will frowned. Was he… Was the  _god of the dead_ flirting with him?

He finished his glass of wine, and immediately found it refilled itself. They went through the rest of the meal in relative silence, Will found himself quickly growing full despite his plate never seeming to grow empty. “Finished?” Hannibal asked when Will sat back in his chair. 

Will nodded, a smile graced his lips as their plates disappeared from the table. Hannibal stood from his chair, walking over to Will’s side, extending a hand to him. “Would you entertain me for a dance?”

“I really can’t dance.” Will’s face was hot and he was sure it was visible. This whole situation was ridiculous.

“Humour me?” There was something so compelling in the smile he flashed Will, some reminiscence of classic romance that made his stomach flip, and he swallowed.

“Yeah, okay. Why not?”

He found himself lead into an empty ballroom, somehow more lavish than the entrance hall, soft, eerie music came from nowhere and Hannibal held out a hand to him. Will took it, and found himself pulled close, Hannibal’s hand rested on his hip, broad and warm as he adjusted their positions. It wasn’t that bad really, when he let Hannibal lead him, to sway with him. It was slow and intimate, and Will found himself leaning into it.

He wasn’t good at it, he knew that, but Hannibal was smiling reassuringly, handsome under the warm glow of the chandelier, and really, Will couldn’t feel bad about any of this. 

“Thank you for entertaining me, this evening Will.” His eyes this close looked carved from carnelian. “I find your company overwhelmingly pleasant, regardless of how you came to be here.”

“Thanks I-” he looked down, cleared his throat. “I’ve had a good time myself.”

“I should hope so.”

Hannibal spun Will then, out across the floor and then back to him, so that his chest pressed firm along Will’s back. “You’re quite good at this, you know.” His lips brushed Will’s ear as he spoke, and Will’s breath hitched in his throat. “For someone who claims not to know what he’s doing.”

“I’m just following you.” Hannibal turned Will in his arms again, they were standing close now, close enough that Will could feel Hannibal’s breath on his lips. His whole body ached to lean closer. 

The music had stopped, the dance had ended, still they stood, impossibly close. 

“I suppose our time together must come to an end.” Hannibal made no move to pull away. “Would you like me to return you home now?”

Will nodded. Hannibal’s hands came up to cup his face then, and Will felt his blood turn to fire. 

“I do believe it was fate that brought us together Will.” His thumb ran softly along Will’s cheekbone. “And that this goodbye will not be final.”

Will nodded again, though he wasn’t certain he believed it. Still he felt drawn to the man, and he leaned into the touch, allowing Hannibal to tip his head back.

“May I?” Hannibal drew his thumb across Will’s lower lip. 

Will still wasn’t sure this wasn’t a dream, but he didn’t really care. “Yes.” Hannibal smiled, and leaned in. The kiss was a brief, chaste thing, but it sent a warmth pooling in Will’s chest, and he smiled against Hannibal’s mouth. 

The kiss was over as soon as it had begun, but Hannibal remained close, resting their foreheads together, a small smile on his lips. “Farewell, Sweet William.” His words were scarcely more than a whisper. “Until we meet again.”

And a moment later the world fell away around him. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr: https://b0ttom-hannibal.tumblr.com/


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